Ethnologue 14 report for language code:SWA

SWAHILI: a language of Tanzania

The following is the entry for this language as it appeared in the 14th edition (2000).
It was superseded by the corresponding entry in the 15th edition (2005). See also the corresponding entry in the current edition of Ethnologue.

SIL code: SWA

ISO 639-1: sw

ISO 639-2: swa

Population

313,200 monolinguals or 1.8%, 93.4% bilinguals in Tanzania (1982 Polomé). Population total all countries 5,000,000 first language speakers (1989 Holm); 30,000,000 second language users (1989 Holm).

Region

Zanzibar, coastal areas. Also spoken in Burundi, Kenya, Mayotte, Mozambique, Oman, Rwanda, Somalia, South Africa, Uganda, UAE, USA.

Alternate names

KISWAHILI, KISUAHELI

Dialects

MRIMA, UNGUJA (KIUNGUJA, ZANZIBAR), PEMBA, MGAO.

Classification

Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, G, Swahili (G.40).

Comments

Rural people are second language users; they use the local language for most activities, but Swahili with outsiders. National language. Dictionary. SVO. Used through secondary education and in some university courses. Muslim. Bible 1891-1996.

Also spoken in:

Burundi

Language name	SWAHILI
Comments	Used in some churches (especially Congolese). Radio programs, TV. Muslim. Bible 1891-1996. See main entry under Tanzania.

Kenya

Language name	SWAHILI
Population	131,000 in Kenya, including 66,000 Bajuni (1994 I. Larsen BTL), 6,000 Siyu, 3,000 Pate, 15,000 Amu, 25,000 to 30,000 Mvita, 13,900 Shirazi (1989 census), 2,000 Vumba (1980 Heine and Möhlig).
Alternate names	KISWAHELI, SUAHILI, KISUAHILI, ARAB-SWAHILI
Dialects	AMU, MVITA (KIMVITA, MOMBASA), BAJUNI (BAJUN, T'IK'UU, TIKULU, TUKULU, GUNYA, MBALAZI, CHIMBALAZI), PATE, PEMBA (PHEMBA, HADIMU, TAMBATU), MRIMA, FUNDI, SIU (SIYU), SHAMBA (KISHAMBA), MATONDONI.
Comments	The dialects listed are in Kenya. Bajuni is the most divergent. Bajuni and Pemba may be separate languages. Bajun has 85% lexical similarity with Amu, 78% with Mvita, 72% with Mrima; Mvita has 86% with Amu, 79% with Mrima; Mrima has 79% with Amu. Classical and modern literature. In the Mombasa area they call themselves 'Arab' or 'Shirazi', in Lamu area they call themselves 'Bajun.' Investigation needed: intelligibility with Bajun, Pemba. National language. Literacy rate in second language: 51%. Swahili is compulsory in primary education. Coastal, mountain valley. Traders, small businessmen; Bajun: fishermen, agriculturalists. Muslim. Bible 1891-1996. See main entry under Tanzania.

Mayotte

Language name	SWAHILI
Population	2,744 in Mayotte (1993 Johnstone).
Comments	Muslim. Bible 1891-1996. See main entry under Tanzania.

Mozambique

Language name	SWAHILI
Comments	Second language speakers in Mozambique. Bible 1891-1996. See main entry under Tanzania.

Somalia

Language name	SWAHILI
Population	40,000 Baraawe in Somalia (1992).
Dialects	MWINI (MWIINI, CHIMWIINI, AF-CHIMWIINI, BARWAANI, BRAVANESE), BAJUNI (KIBAJUNI, BAJUN, AF-BAJUUN, MBALAZI, CHIMBALAZI).
Comments	Reported to have come centuries ago from Zanzibar. Mwini: artisans (leather goods); Bajun: fishermen. Bible 1891-1996. See main entry under Tanzania.

South Africa

Language name	SWAHILI
Population	1,000 in South Africa (1987 Schreck and Barrett).
Alternate names	KISWAHELI, SUAHILI, KISUAHILI, ARAB-SWAHILI
Comments	Zanzibaris brought from Zanzibar and northern Mozambique from 1873 to 1878. Coastal. Market gardeners. Muslim. Bible 1891-1996. See main entry under Tanzania.

Uganda

Language name	SWAHILI
Alternate names	KISWAHILI, KISUAHELI
Dialects	SHAMBA (KISHAMBA).
Comments	The government plans to make this a mandatory subject in schools. Used by the security forces and in some regions. Muslim. Bible 1891-1996. See main entry under Tanzania.